TravelHost is a network of independent entrepreneurs that are known as TravelHost Owners. They have a passion for sales, marketing, and of course, all things travel. Owners love having the freedom, flexibility, and independence of making their own decisions and running their businesses the way they see fit.
We recently caught up with Maria Andrew, a TravelHost Owner who owns and manages the Kansas City TravelHost Territory. We asked her to describe how her lifestyle, quality of life, and working habits have changed for the better since she took on the Kansas City TravelHost territory.
Why TravelHost?
After working for a few years as a schoolteacher, Maria realized that she was becoming more and more unfulfilled with her job. Low pay, ungrateful parents, and the emotional burden of managing a large classroom of children were slowly taking its toll. In short, she was missing the work/life balance that’s so critical for good psychological well-being.
Maria has an outgoing personality that people are naturally drawn to. She’s a total extrovert and loves meeting new people and learning more about their travel-related businesses. She also cares a lot for Kansas City and wants to help travelers to her city have the best possible experience that they can.
After reading about TravelHost and a few back-and-forth phone calls with Jason Bahamundi, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, they concluded that Maria had the perfect drive, personality, and reasons for wanting to own her own territory. In April of 2019, Maria became the proud new Owner of the protected Kansas City TravelHost territory.
What’s Life Like as a Business Owner and Mom?
Maria says that while owning your own business does give you the freedom and flexibility to pick up your kids or run some errands; you ultimately get out of your business what you put in—and like any business owner, you have your good and bad days.
Every now and then you might have to attend an after-hours function through your local Chamber of Commerce as you strive to increase your professional network. Or the sales lead you’ve been chasing for the past few weeks might not yet be fully ready to commit.
However, as a TravelHost Owner you have way more flexibility than a desk job in corporate America. Maria now has more time to spend with her family, drop off and pick up the kids from school, and personal time for things such as working out and personal reflection.
The only boss you’ll have is yourself, and this is very empowering for Maria as she’s in complete and total control of her destiny. Unlike a traditional corporate job, every effort that she makes directly and ultimately benefits her—and not anyone else.
How to Stay on Top of Your Market?
As a TravelHost Owner, you have to stay on top of what’s happening and going on in your local market. Maria accomplishes this at night when she’s watching television after putting the kids to bed. She performs online research looking for new hotels or restaurants which are opening up in town.
She’ll attend networking events and ribbon-cutting ceremonies looking for local businesses that she can help. Once she identifies a potential match, she’ll reach out to them and engage them in a friendly conversation to see if she can help them. As time went by, Maria’s network grew larger and larger, and she started getting invited to more and more events.
The TravelHost Owner Support Network
The amazing support network you get from headquarters is what sets TravelHost apart. When Maria first started out, she was in constant contact with Jason Bahamundi, who help onboard and guide her through her first few months.
He invited her out to the TravelHost Headquarters office in Dallas, where she spent a few days learning about the company and all that it has to offer both her and the businesses in her territory.
“Jason and TravelHost team are absolutely amazing. He gave me his personal cell phone number and told me to call him anytime day or night if we had a question or need help,” said Maria. “It really and truly felt like he wanted us to succeed and would go out of his way to help us out.”
What’s Next for Maria?
As a TravelHost Owner, Maria has helped many businesses in the Kansas City area drive new foot traffic through their front doors, utilizing both online and print advertising sales. She’s also helped countless business people, vacationers, and travelers to Kansas City find the best local food, shops, and entertainment.
If you’d like to learn more about TravelHost Owner, If you’re looking for an exciting career change that will reward you and allow you to regain control over your life, contact the TravelHost New Business Development Department at (469) 299-5430 x103 or click here to get started!
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